Sorry if this sucks, I'm still dealing with dehydration and face injury, so I'm not paying as much attention as I should.

I left Austin around 9:00 for the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in Dallas with four hours (give or take) of driving to kill. Originally, I was going to go to Houston, but the city was apparently on its rag or something, because they made the festival start at 6:00 and lose a lot of bands, stalls, etc. There was no way in hell I was missing Slayer and Motorhead for Anthrax, so...off to Dallas!

After a rather eventless drive, I arrived in Dallas around 12:50, but didn't see the venue until about 1:10, due to getting lost in the part of the city that literally looks like a third world country; hell, the city even smelled like one - no matter where we went, there was a "broken sewer" smell all over the place.

When I did arrive, I was approached by a scalper, offering a "VIP" ticket for $70. Originally, I was going to buy a lawn ticket for $40 or so and get it over with, but I was intrigued, so I coughed up the extra money. Fortunately for me, it wasn't fake or "pre-scanned", so I got into the festival grounds easily. Whenever bands bored me or I had nothing to do, I'd go into the Ice Box (a bar for the VIP ticketholders) and just sit around in the air conditioning.

I really didn't know any of the bands at the Sumerian Tent or gave too much of a shit about most of the Jager stage, so I decided to walk around a bit. I stopped by the Metal Blade tent and said hello to Chris_M_S, who gave me a bag to carry all my shit in (I bought a couple of shirts from Anthrax and Motorhead, Slipknot's newest CD, a claw ring, and a bunch of other shit - dude, if you're reading this, that thing held up in an Anthrax ass-kicking with the only scar being a small cut the size of a dime on the side, so thanks!).

Not too much else happened, except for meeting Corey Taylor at the Revolver tent and saying "hi" to the members of Asking Alexandria. Honestly, I don't like their music, but they seemed pretty cool.

Originally, I thought two people I knew wouldn't make it to Dallas and hit up the Houston date, but to my surprise, I saw them both at the festival. I wound up shooting the shit with them for a bit while waiting in line to get our shit signed by Slipknot (they only signed posters, so if you want that first edition of Iowa signed, you're fucked).

I went inside the Rockstar tent and waited to meet Anthrax, only to find out they were there when I was waiting for the Slipknot autographs - something that pissed me off greatly. Eh. While I was in there, I downed a lemonade drink and went off to go see Anthrax, but I remembered exactly what happened the last time I drank an energy drink and did some activity beyond getting up off my ass for two seconds and tried not to puke all over the battlejackets around me. I was forced to walk off the parking lot to get some water (also from the Rockstar tent - this time, it was in a fucking can) and listen to the rest of Anthrax's set from there. At the end of the set, Joey got the crowd to chant "Free Randy Blythe" over and over again.

[B][I]Anthrax[/I][/B]

Caught in a Mosh
Got the Time
Fight 'Em Till You Can't
Antisocial
Indians
Madhouse
I Am The Law

Around this time, I met up with a guy who had last seen me at a KMFDM show in Austin...three fucking years ago. How he did that, I have no idea (I had short hair in 2009, for starters), but he did. We both walked to our respective seating areas to see the main stage talking about shit we'd done since then. After that, I went through the hassle of finding my seats - a process that took five minutes due to the people bouncing me back between ushers and shit. Whatever, at least I got to my spot.

...I have to be honest, I really don't give two shits about The Devil Wears Prada, but they had a lot of energy and the crowd (including the rabid Slayer fans) seemed to like them...or tolerate them, at least, since no one threw anything at them. I'm assuming the setlist was the same, so...

After that, the co-founder of the festival (or something) came out and gave some kind of award (I think) to a Marine for something.

...Hey, when you get punched in the face while being dehydrated, you don't tend to take details very clearly.

Anyway, after that, Motorhead came onstage and fucking [I]killed[/I]. I had been fucked out of seeing them three times in a row, so I intended to have fun while I saw them. No real comments to make, aside from when Lemmy introduced "Going to Brazil", which he dedicated to anyone in the audience with Brazilian heritage, even asking them to stand up or do something. I shit you not, the most awkward silence followed. No one raised their hand, no one did anything, and if you listened carefully over the hums of the amplifiers, you could hear the fucking planes flying overhead. Lemmy simply shrugged and went on with the song, ending the show with Overkill, one of my favorite Motorhead songs.

[B][I]Motorhead[/I][/B]

Bomber
Damage Case
I Know How To Die
Over The Top
Stay Clean
The Chase Is Better Than The Catch
Going To Brazil
Drum Solo
Killed By Death
Ace Of Spades
Overkill

After Motorhead ended their set, everyone started tearing shit down for Slayer, but not before obscuring everything with a few curtains. When Slayer finally did go on to the sound of "Darkness of Christ" over the P.A. system, the amount of energy flowing through the arena fucking tripled. Slipknot may have had the best audience response all day, but Slayer had the most energy...if that makes sense. Seeing them fly through "War Ensemble" and "Hell Awaits" with the pyro from the inverted crucifix amplifiers was something I won't be forgetting for a long time.

Die by the Sword and Hate Worldwide had no pause in between them, leading me to not recognize HW until the second verse. I was thinking something along the lines of "I don't remember this song being this long...", if I recall correctly. Mandatory Suicide was introduced with a speech about freedom, and the ending of Seasons was blended into the beginning of Hell Awaits. I think I gave myself a bad headache headbanging and screaming at the same time, but it somehow went away the same minute. Weird. During "Dead Skin Mask", I remember seeing someone selling beer dropping their case, leading to beer spilling all over the floor. Someone quickly yelled out "party foul!" over the noise. I don't know how I caught that, but it was pretty interesting.

Slayer ended the show with Raining Blood, something that got some of the lawn fuckers moving (I think I saw someone set something on fire, but don't quote me on that) at last. Seriously, the crowd up there looked sort of dead all night from what I could see. I could very well be wrong though.

[B][I]Slayer[/I][/B]

Darkness of Christ
Disciple
War Ensemble
Die by the Sword
Hate Worldwide
Mandatory Suicide
Altar of Sacrifice
Jesus Saves
Seasons in the Abyss
Hell Awaits
Dead Skin Mask
Angel of Death
South of Heaven
Raining Blood

Slipknot's stuff was all hauled behind a curtain to Metallica's "Master of Puppets" album while the masses were shown a film reel about hiring veterans and Mayhem Fest stuff. It didn't take long for the band to come onstage (they came on during "Welcome Home"), and the audience started screaming and shouting, waiting eagerly for the band's first show in Dallas in...three years, I think. They opened with the classic "7462/(sic)", following through with Eyeless and Sulfur, songs that got the crowd jumping and writhing like...well, maggots - pun definitely not intended. :lol:

Slipknot had pyrotechnics all night long, but there was a bit of unpredictability to them at first. Normally, you can see and hear the pyro go off, but in this case, at random points (which I later figured out were when the songs got more intense), something would explode. It kinda puts you on edge when you can hear, but not see the explosions, but once you were able to predict them, you just had to deal with the "oh shit" factor your body naturally goes into. Somewhere in the middle of the set, I remember getting up and headbanging with these two guys next to me just for the hell of it. I don't think I sat back down for the rest of the show.

Before Duality, Corey made a speech about Paul Grey and how he loved to play in Dallas, sending a tribute out to him in the form of our participation. After that, during "Spit It Out" (I think), he asked the crowd to crouch down and jump on his command. I recall during The Heretic Anthem and People = Shit seeing a female security guard getting visibly unnerved at the lyrics coming from the mouths of the fans near her...sorry, I had to say that.

I don't know what happened, but during the last song, Corey collapsed onstage and had to be carried off. Wonder what that was about...

After their set ended, I got out of the parking lot and found out the crowd was being filmed for something (I don't know what), before I left the city to go home, almost not making it due to low gas resulting in me almost being stranded in Killeen, but thankfully, I was able to get home...about an hour later than I was supposed to, but hey.

You made a four hour drive to a show you didn't have a ticket purchased for yet? I would never make a trip that long without already buying my ticket. Acorrding to setlist fm, Slayer is now switching the opener every other show between Disciple and World Painted Blood. I would prefer Disciple and would feel like I was getting screwed if I got a show with World Painted Blood instead.

Nice review.

Steev

07-11-2012 07:13 AM

Did you have to buy anything to meet Corey? What did he sign?

DisposableJustice

07-11-2012 10:03 AM

Great review you had some similar takes on events that I had in Denver; I love the part with the security guard getting her panties in a twist over the lyrics- it's a metal concert hon I think you have to expect some strange shit to go down

O, and for my show it wasn't shit being set on fire but the lawn was picking up chunks of the grass and throwing it at us in the seating area; I got hit on the shoulder didn't get hurt just some dirt in my ear:hecho:

also I had to the same experience with Slipknot's pyro show; a lot of the time you would hear the boom but not see the effect til 5-10 seconds after or in some cases not at all

RampinUp46

07-11-2012 12:10 PM

[QUOTE=Steev;476397]Did you have to buy anything to meet Corey? What did he sign?[/QUOTE]

Depends. If you get to the Revolver tent early enough, you get a black wristband for free and he'll sign one item of your choosing. If you buy Antennas to Hell for $20 at the Slipknot tent, you get a blue wristband and a guarantee to meet three band members, but they only sign posters they already have at their tent and a security guard hands them to you - presumably to keep the line moving faster.

TheNobleFaceHumper

07-11-2012 01:59 PM

[QUOTE=RampinUp46;476434]Depends. If you get to the Revolver tent early enough, you get a black wristband for free and he'll sign one item of your choosing. If you buy Antennas to Hell for $20 at the Slipknot tent, you get a blue wristband and a guarantee to meet three band members, but they only sign posters they already have at their tent and a security guard hands them to you - presumably to keep the line moving faster.[/QUOTE]

what time was Corey signing at the Rockstar tent?

And which 3 members of Slipknot were at the Slipknot tent?

(sic)&disturbed

07-11-2012 03:10 PM

[QUOTE=TheNobleFaceHumper;476447]what time was Corey signing at the Rockstar tent?

And which 3 members of Slipknot were at the Slipknot tent?[/QUOTE]

Not sure about Corey, but Clown, Sid, and Chris were the 3 I've noticed doing most signings at other shows.

TheNobleFaceHumper

07-11-2012 03:36 PM

[QUOTE=(sic)&disturbed;476461]Not sure about Corey, but Clown, Sid, and Chris were the 3 I've noticed doing most signings at other shows.[/QUOTE]

Lame, it should be someone other than clown since he's already signing, I think I'll just go meet Corey.

velvetgrass

07-11-2012 04:53 PM

[QUOTE=RampinUp46;476387]I don't know what happened, but during the last song, Corey collapsed onstage and had to be carried off. Wonder what that was about...[/QUOTE]